Twice Unjust
by safetyinnumbness
Summary: Murder cases are always challenging, when the victim of their latest case is connected to one member of the team, dealing with the fallout is tough for everyone.
1. Notes

Notes: Current team and set after Ends Of Justice, with references to A Few Bad Men, Halfway House, Genesis, The Caring Game, Safer, So Long Baby, and Bloodsport. Any mistakes are my own and unintentional. I first posted to Dreamwidth and AO3 earlier this year.


	2. Nietzsche

Nietzsche wrote, "We sometimes promote truth through a twofold injustice, namely when, being unable to see both sides of a thing at the same time, we see and represent them one after another, but in such a way that we always misjudge or deny the other side in the delusion that we are seeing is the whole truth."


	3. Prologue (2007)

Robbie anxiously rocked on his heels while Jackie wearily eyed him. "I came to apologise for the other night."

"It's taken you long enough," Jackie remarked more angrily than she had intended to.

"I'm sorry Jackie," Robbie sighed, pausing a moment before he spoke again. "I shouldn't have attacked Nash like that, especially not in front of you."

"No you shouldn't have, but Robbie, don't ever do anything like that in front of me again. Look I know you've got a temper on you but I've never seen you lose control like that and that scared me a lot more than I ever thought was possible."

Sensing the apprehension in her voice, he nodded his head. "It won't happen again." He hesitated for a moment before asking, "Can I come in? I just want to talk."

Jackie reluctantly moved from the space in the doorway that she had been occupying, letting him in and locking the door, she went to the living room, taking the space beside him on the floor in front of the couch. "It still affects you," she stated.

"Yeah it does affect me. I mean I can carry on and not let it phase me too much but sometimes it all just comes flooding back and I can't do anything, that's when I start to struggle with it. This case has been making it harder for me to forget it all and then seeing Nash attacking his wife, the woman he's supposed to love, like that in public, it tipped me off the edge and I lost control."

"I'll be honest Robbie; I thought you were going to hit him a few times before you actually did it." Jackie pondered for a beat before asking him, "How old were you the last time you saw your dad?"

Once he had gathered his other thoughts, Robbie heaved a sigh. "When I was four, I remember it because the babysitter let me stay up past my bedtime to wait for my mum and dad to come home from the bingo. All I wanted to do was ask them if they'd been lucky."

He stopped, squeezing his eyes to stop the threat of tears. Jackie tenderly stroked his arm, silently telling him to continue.

"Mum saw the babysitter to the door, and after she'd gone my dad lashed out because I was still up. It wasn't her fault I was up but he hit her in the face at first, and then he picked up a crowbar and started hitting her in the head."

Robbie choked back a loud sob. "I tried to stop him, I really did but all I could do with being so small was keep kicking him in the shins. It didn't stop him, he..."

Jackie held him protectively as he unloaded hidden traumatic events from his childhood. "Jesus," she whispered. "Did he hit you?"

"I can't remember if there were other times but that night he did, yeah, I got hit in the ribs with the crowbar and he slashed the inside of my arm with a penknife."

"That scar just above your left elbow?"

"Is from that night," Robbie confirmed, "I had my arm up to stop him from hurting mum any more because she was on the floor and her head was bleeding badly and then he cut me."

Jackie soothingly rubbed his back as his tears and the newly released pain flowed out after been bottled up and capped tightly for so long. "Did you ever see your dad after that night?"

"No I never did. We left that night and went to stay with my granddad for a while, and then we moved up to Aberdeen. Mum settled there, and she still lives in Balnagask. When I have the odd weekend off I go up and see her."

"I always wondered where you disappeared to. You can tell me to back off but what do you remember? Of the abuse I mean."

"It was mostly verbal and emotional, shit like 'you're fat' or 'worthless' or 'stupid' but sometimes it was physical. Having heard that a lot when she was with him and seeing how many times she actually believed him, I make sure I tell her that she is the best, perfect, little things like that. It's my way of showing her that I never listened to dad."

Jackie faintly smiled and nodded, finally understanding why he rarely had a harsh word to say to a woman, even when it was someone they suspected of committing a crime. It also explained why he was often so affectionate with her and other women.

Having finally unburdened himself of a guilt he had been carrying for a long time, Robbie felt the unfamiliar soreness in his red and swollen eyes as he slowly closed them, falling asleep in Jackie's protective embrace.

Jackie attempted to stretch her stiff limbs in the awkward position she awoke. The limited amount of space between the couch and coffee table was not exactly friendly to an adult body. "Oh I'm getting too old for this sleeping on the floor malarkey," she muttered unhappily to herself.

Robbie stirred at the sound of her disgruntled murmurings; his eyes were still red but less puffy from the night before, resembling someone who had slept on a park bench with a concealed bottle of whisky. "Morning," he said before scrubbing his hand over his face. "Jackie, I don't say this often enough to you, but thank you for last night, for listening to me."

"Any time Robbie," Jackie said, groaning as her stiffened limbs protested once more at being straightened as she made several half-hearted attempts to stand. Her stomach rumbled loudly as she finally managed to beat the cramps and rise. Robbie sympathetically laughed. "I'll make breakfast. What do you fancy eating?"

"I normally have coffee and toast, sometimes cereal but if you want to make a cooked breakfast for me I won't say no," she said half-jokingly while working out kinks out of her aching neck. "Do you want me to cover for you with the boss?"

"Nah I'll be fine, I've got a spare shirt in the car and I think I left some things here when I stayed over."

"Well unlike you," Jackie faintly smiled. "I need more than a few minutes to make myself presentable on a morning."

After helping Robbie to his feet, she went upstairs to shower and get ready for work while he reacquainted himself with the kitchen he spent a considerable amount of time in when he stayed over.


	4. Chapter 1 (2010)

"DI Reid," Jackie said answering the phone. She listened intently for a few minutes, jotting a few details down on a post it note. "We'll be there in twenty minutes," she said before ending the call.

Mita and Robbie fired inquisitive glances in her direction, "Body dump in the Clyde Tunnel."

Jackie handed Mita her car keys as they exited the office, heading to the car park. Her and Robbie walked a few paces behind the DS.

"Robbie, I've got an offer for you but don't give me an answer unless you're absolutely certain," Jackie said, her breath shaky with nerves for the question she was about to ask.

Robbie linked their arms. "Don't be nervous, just tell me."

Softly sighing, Jackie said, "I want you to move in with me, just until you've cleared your gambling debts."

Recognising the implications of her offer, Robbie flashed a thoughtful smile at her. "It's a big step Jackie, give me a few days to think about it."

"Yeah of course," she said.

Once they were in the car and on their way to the crime scene, Mita asked, "Whereabouts in the tunnel Jackie?"

"The Govan exit city bound, near the Braehead. Traffic division have already closed the road in both directions."

"Great timing," Robbie said scathingly, checking his watch. "The start of rush hour and people coming in and out of the shopping centre."

Thankfully the early evening traffic had been in their favour, allowing them to arrive at the crime scene a few minutes earlier than estimated. Mita parked the car close to a number of police and forensics vehicles. PC Angela Stevenson met the team giving them brief information about the victim, crime scene and what evidence forensics had already recovered in the short time the road had been closed.

Duncan approached the group, briefly acknowledging each member before speaking to Jackie. "I'm going to take the body back to the morgue now and start the autopsy; I'll let you know when I have my preliminary findings ready."

"All right, I'll let the boss know when he eventually gets here."

"Thoughtful weren't they," Duncan remarked at the timing and location of the grim discovery.

"Yep," Jackie softly chuckled. "Mita, I want you to check the CCTV for the last three hours, go back further than that if you think there might be something useful from earlier in the day. Take Robbie with you, I don't think Complaints have sent their report to the CS yet."

Mita quickly walked to the car, waiting for Robbie to catch up to her, when he turned heading back to where Jackie was talking to other personnel. "We're supposed to be checking the CCTV," she shouted at the DI.

Robbie briefly turned his head. "Give me a minute; I need a word with Jackie."

Releasing a frustrated sigh, Mita wanted nothing more than to get back to the station and make a start on the arduous task of scouring the footage for anything that might be pertinent to the investigation.

"I thought I sent you to check the CCTV," Jackie said.

"We're away in a minute." Robbie said, guiding her to a quiet spot away from the crime scene. "Listen, I can't be certain because the bloke's face is a mess but I think that's my dad."

Jackie was silent at her partner's revelatory suspicions as he walked over to the car and junior colleague.

"You finished now?" Mita said, quizzing the senior officer.

"Yeah." Robbie gave her a small smile while scrolling the contacts in his phone for an Aberdeen number. He pressed the call button and waited for an answer. "It's me, I think he's dead. As soon as Duncan tells us, I'll ring you later on and let you know."

Mita shot him a perplexed look but held back from questioning him about the cryptic, one-sided phone conversation.

Throwing an empty sandwich wrapper, crisp packet and Irn Bru can in the bin; Robbie spotted Karen heading towards his desk. "I'm just having something to eat before I get back to the CCTV room."

She placed a small stack of case folders on his desk. "These are cold cases from the Crime Review Unit; I'd like you to check them before the Chief Constable officially closes these investigations."

Jackie was about to enter the room but stopped near the doors, to watch the exchange and worrying about her partner and the boss, knowing that there was no love lost between them.

"Why can't the Crime Review Unit do it? It is their work."

Karen sighed. "Look Robbie, the investigation in to you isn't yet closed. DCI Atkins still hasn't sent me his final report; he's assured me that I'll have it by the end of the day."

"The end of the day?" Robbie said raising his voice. "It's the end of the day now!"

Rather than getting into a potentially never-ending argument with the already aggravated Detective Inspector, Karen walked away, leaving him to cool down and headed back to her office.

Robbie waited a moment before leaving his desk and the pile of Crime Review Unit cases he'd been given and followed the Chief Superintendent part of the way to her office before he was stopped at the bottom of the main staircase by Jackie, who had managed to catch up with him, standing on the step above him she placed a hand on his chest. "Don't do it Robbie," she pleaded. "It isn't worth it."

"Why not Jackie, I'll feel better once I've had my say."

"Look I know you're not happy and even though you'll feel better for it, you'll also be out of a job. Robbie, my one last chance and that offer is off the table if you go up there and tell her what you think." Jackie brushed her thumb across his knuckles to calm him down unaware that they were been observed. "Come back to the office with me and have a word with the boss, he might give you some time off if you ask him."

Robbie sighed. "It's not time off I need Jackie."

"God your hard work sometimes!" Jackie remarked, rolling her eyes at him. "What do you need then?"

"A break, I just need to get of Glasgow and clear my head."

As they made their way back to the office Jackie's phone beeped, she quickly checked the message. "Oh looks like Duncan's got something for us. I'll see you in a bit."

"Evening Duncan," Jackie said greeting the younger man.

"Jackie, DCI Burke, is Robbie not with you."

Matt looked at Jackie, then Duncan. "How is it you address me by title but her by her first name."

"Easy, she's nicer to me than you are, so is Robbie for that matter. Would you like to know what my preliminary findings are?"

The detectives nodded to the scientist.

"First of all I have a positive ID for you; the victim is Malcolm Forbes. I was able to identify him quickly because he has a DNA match in the system."

"Oh no," Jackie said.

The two men shot curious glances at the newly promoted DI. "Well spit it out hen, I haven't got all year," Matt ordered.

"Robbie's dad is called Malcolm but he hasn't seen him since he was four."

Duncan frowned at Jackie's comment. "Robbie, that's who the DNA match is, so are we, well you, still going to be investigating the murder?"

"Yes we are, unless the top floor tell us otherwise, oh and son, don't tell the top floor until we've had chance to tell Robbie."

"There is every chance he could fly off the handle like he did during the Emily Patrick case," Jackie said worryingly.

"I'm not at all familiar with that case," Duncan said.

Matt silently gave Jackie approval to fill Duncan in on some of the details. "About three years ago we had a case involving a domestic violence campaigner and one night me and Robbie we doing surveillance on a suspect, Kevin Nash, when he began to attack his wife in public and Robbie lost control."

"Lost control, how?"

"He got out of the car, ran up to him and beat him up really badly; I had to drag him off him twice. The first time he stopped, and then he started kicking him while he was down. The second time he walked away but by then I was frightened of him."

"Why was he so het up?"

Matt sighed. "His father abused his mother and he often witnessed it."

Duncan nodded, understanding that there was a lot more to the previous case and Robbie's unprovoked attack on a suspect than the detectives were willing to divulge to him. "I can't say for certain what actually killed him but his injuries are consistent with being beaten over a number of days, some of the bruises look like they could have been made by a baseball bat or similar shaped object and nearly all of his bones were broken. His hands are a mess and every bone is shattered. I don't know if it will be important to the investigation but some of his injuries are also consistent with being pushed from a moving vehicle."

"Thanks son, come up when you have more results."

"Will do."


	5. Chapter 2

"Right listen up," Matt bellowed. "This is what we know so far. The victim is male, in his late sixties, and Duncan says that he had been beaten, possibly tortured, over a number of days before been dumped in the Clyde Tunnel earlier this afternoon. We also have a positive identification."

"Who was he?" Mita asked.

"Malcolm Forbes," Matt answered. "His DNA is a match to one of our own."

A series of shocked gasps reverberated throughout the room before PC Stevenson asked, "A match to whom sir?"

"DI Ross." Matt hesitated for a beat. "The victim is his father."

"Estranged father," Jackie chipped in.

It only took a few minutes for the speculation, whispers, and accusing looks of the other officers and detectives to force Robbie into retreating to the sanctuary of the roof before his anger overtook, and he said or did something stupid. Jackie waited until he was out of earshot before continuing with the briefing and delegating tasks to the rest of the team.

Matt approached Mita and PC Stevenson. "I want you two to keep checking the CCTV, Duncan says that some of the dead man's injuries are consistent with being pushed from a moving vehicle.

"While he was still alive?" the constable enquired.

"No, he was already dead when he was dumped in the tunnel."

Robbie was sitting on the gravel, his back against the safety barrier as he scrolled through the recent contacts list on his phone, selecting the Aberdeen number he rang earlier in the day. He waited a beat for someone to answer.

"Hello?"

"Me again mum. It is him."

"What happens now Robbie?"

Robbie sighed. "The investigation has already started but as its early days there's a lot of work to do. Are you gonna be okay?"

"I will be love I've had forty eight years without giving him a second thought."

Robbie feigned a smile at Jackie as the security door closed loudly behind her. "Mum, I've got to go. I'll ring you later."

"Come up when you can, love you."

"I will do. Love you too," he said, ending the call.

Jackie sat next to him taking in the distant look in his eyes and comfortingly rubbed his arm. "I won't ask."

"I've been telling people for years that my dad is dead and now that he really is I can't quite believe it. A part of me is ecstatic that he's no longer able to destroy people's lives but a part of me is sad that it wasn't me who did him in."

Jackie frowned at him. "I know he was a brute to you and your mum but thinking like that just takes you down to his level and your better than that, better than he is, sorry, was. Have you told your mum yet?"

"Yeah she knows, I actually told her the news when me and Mita were coming back to the station earlier. I just give her the update, she sounded relieved, like a nightmare that's finally over. She wants me to go up to Aberdeen for a few days.

Jackie's phone vibrated in her pocket, she quickly checked the screen rejecting the incoming call. "Just the boss. Are you going up?"

Robbie nodded his head. "Yeah I need to go, I have to be there for her."

"That's understandable. What about you?"

"I'm fine, really." Robbie afforded her a false smile as she raised an eyebrow at him. "No I'm not fine but I will be, eventually."

Jackie's phone vibrated again. "Bloody impatience," she said once more rejecting the call.

Robbie stood first, helping her to her feet. "Thanks darling," he said, drawing her into a tight, thankful hug. "Think the boss will mind if I leave early?"

"I don't think he'll mind, but ask him anyway."

Karen took in Robbie's deflated demeanour, carefully thinking the next words she had to say to him. "DI Ross, I'm not going to say I'm sorry for your loss because I understand from speaking to DCI Burke that you were estranged from your father for a number of years. However as you also have other personal matters to deal with at the moment I am going to order that you take some time off."

Robbie stopped staring at his feet and looked at the CS for the first time since he entered the DCIs office. "Actually ma'am that's why I came to see the boss, wanted to ask for a few days off. My mum wants me to go home and I was going to drive up there later today."

Matt smiled at a rare by-the-books moment from the usually wayward detective. "How long you away home for son?"

"Just for rest of this week, I'd be back by Monday, Tuesday at the latest."

Karen looked at Matt, then Robbie. "Okay, we'll see you back here on Monday morning."

Robbie let out a breath he was unaware he'd been holding. "Thanks boss, ma'am."

"And Robbie, remember you can only give her the information that we've allowed," Karen said reminding him that some details of the investigation had to remain need to know for the eventual court case.

Opening the door, Robbie crossed the room to his desk, grabbing his phone, coat, and keys. "See you Monday," he said. Jackie looked up from her paperwork, giving him a call me when you can look. "Yeah see you Robbie."


	6. Chapter 3

Hearing a car halt outside her ground floor flat, Evelyn Ross made her way as quickly as she was able with using two walking sticks to the front door to see who had arrived now. She grinned when she saw her son locking his car with the digital key fob. "You made it!"

Checking his watch, Robbie said, "What are still doing up mum? It's after one."

"Waiting for my only child to get his arse home," she scoffed in jest.

"I would have got here earlier but there was a problem on Friarton Bridge and it had a bit of knock on effect on traffic." Robbie said, quickly adding, "A driver with a fear of heights needed a police escort across the bridge. I wasn't the escort, someone from Tayside was."

Being careful of her walking sticks, Robbie leant down drawing his mum into a tender hug. "I'm here now," he whispered as she started softly sobbing for the first time since he broke the news about Malcolm to her the day before.

"Let's get you inside, don't want you getting sick again," he said as they parted, linking his arm with hers they slowly walked to the kitchen. He let her go and smiled as she expertly manoeuvred herself around the small, specially adapted room.

She put a steak pie in the microwave before turning the kettle on, getting the milk out of the fridge that was tucked in underneath the worktop, placing the small carton on the counter she popped a tea bag into a clean mug.

A couple of minutes later the microwave pinged and she removed the now warm snack, putting it on a cool side plate.

"Thanks mum," Robbie said, taking a sizeable bite.

"What can't you tell me?" she probed as she sat in the seat of her zimmer frame.

"A lot of things actually, I argued with the bosses to tell you everything but they wouldn't let me." Evelyn tutted at the unfairness of his bosses. "All I can tell you that he was beaten up really badly and possibly tortured. Duncan said it could have happened over a number of days."

Dabbing her eyes with a tissue Evelyn apologetically said, "I'm sorry for not being able to protect you from your dad's wrath love, I tried to protect us both but it wasn't always easy at times because it was difficult to gauge his mood."

Robbie frowned at her admission of guilt for the things she could not control when he was a child. "Don't ever be sorry mum, it's not easy living with someone like that, let alone leaving them for good."

"I know that but I still feel guilty about that night," she said, flashing a contented smile as he demolished his pie, asking, "How long are you home for love?"

"This rest of this week, I'm driving back on Sunday. I wanted a bit longer but this was all the bosses could give me considering that it's an active investigation. While I'm here I'm going to meet Stuart and have a catch up, he's working from Grampian now."

"That's your friend who lives up in Newburgh isn't it?" Evelyn asked, having been unable to remember some details of her son's friends and acquaintances.

Robbie chuckled at his mum's question. "Yeah it is and it's been ages since I've seen him."

Evelyn yawned loudly. "I think I should call it a night."

"Yeah, we both should, it's been a long day. Do you need any help getting into bed?"

After helping his mum into her bed, Robbie kissed her on the cheek "sweet dreams," he whispered as he turned out the bedside lamp. He went along the short hallway to his own bedroom for the predictable sporadic sleep that always occurred at the beginning of major investigations because he could never switch off entirely and get the rest he needed.

Stuart was in The Gaslamp waiting for Robbie to arrive, he kept looking up every time the door of the bar opened, he'd been waiting for his friend to arrive for almost forty minutes. Of course, the older man's timekeeping was somewhat legendary around the station but he was beginning to feel like he'd been stood up by him.

Releasing a shallow yet relieved breath when Robbie finally arrived at the Market Street establishment, Stuart waved him over to the table he'd procured while he was waiting.

"Got held up at home, mum's leg is acting up again. You still all right to have lunch?" Robbie asked.

Stuart nodded, before asking, "What are you having? My shout."

"Just get us a pint of coke, and I'll have scampi and chips."

Robbie took a space along the backrest, waiting a few moments for Stuart to return with their drinks. He got his phone out to read his messages but the screen was black, silently cursing how quickly the battery on his smartphone went dead.

Putting their soft drinks on the table Stuart asked, "So how's things?" knowing from an earlier phone conversation with Jackie that they were presently investigating the murder of his estranged father, he held back releasing that information, instead opting to let Robbie tell him if he wanted to.

Taking a swig of his drink Robbie started, "My dad was murdered and I know this will seem strange because of how I feel about him for what he put me and mum through but I'm feeling conflicted about it. Part of me is glad he is dead and can't hurt anybody else but a part of me also wants to work as hard as possible to catch his killer."

Quickly changing the subject before it turned into the rant he was sensing, Stuart asked, "How's Jackie?" poking at the chunky wedge of lime in his glass before removing it.

"She's good, same as she always is really," Robbie paused a moment. "Before I left she made me an offer but I'm undecided about it."

"What offer?"

"I got in a lot debt with the gambling and she wants me to sell my flat and move in with her." Rubbing his face, Robbie grumbled. "I mean of course I'd be back there like a shot, but I don't know and that kiss we had..."

Smirking at hearing about a long awaited lip lock between his two best friends, Stuart got straight to the point, "You're only undecided about Jackie's offer because of your feelings for her and I did think that you were a lot calmer when you were staying with her. It was like you'd rather be at home with her on a night, than in some club pulling random blonde twenty something's for a few hours of empty sex."

"Your right Stuarty, I really did want that, to be at home with her every night and I almost got too comfortable, everything about it felt right but she was annoyed at me for showing up as late as I did the first night."

Stuart shook his head. "No, Robbie, she wasn't, she was only unhappy about you showing up like that because she wasn't at the top of your 'list' when you were looking for a bed for the night. With the way you two constantly tease each other, she ought to have been the only person you asked."

Robbie chuckled at Stuart's accurate analysis of his and Jackie's frequently flirtatious friendship. "All right, I went about that the wrong way but I was and still am grateful that she didn't tell me to piss off and make me sleep in the car that night. I've stayed over a few times since then and I always ask now before it gets too late."

A server brought their meals to them, putting the cutlery and small container of sauces on the table. "Enjoy your meals," she said, "Can I get you anything else?"

Stuart was famished, shaking his head as he eagerly tucked into his long awaited meal.

"I'll have another coke, please," Robbie said.

Hearing the front door close, Evelyn anxiously shouted, "Robbie is that you love?" going to the living room, and poking his head around the partially opened door, he said, "Yeah, who else is it gonna be mum?"

"Did you meet your pals? Oh and some woman called Jackie phoned earlier."

"Yeah I've just come from seeing him; we had a late lunch at Gaslamp. My phone died, I'll give it a quick charge it now and ring her back in a bit," he said slightly defensively, taking in the inquisitive look she was giving him as the phone made a noise when the charger connected. "Jackie's a mate, that's all."

Realising that there was more to her sons relationship with this woman, who she had yet to meet, than he was letting on and that it was likely complicated in some way too, Evelyn held off from prying.

Getting his wallet out and opening it, he thumbed the few notes he had on him. "I'm going out for a Chinese, do you want one?"

"Yeah I'll have my usual; I'll give you the money for mine when you get back."

Robbie shook his head. "Keep your money mum you'll need it. It's my treat." removing the charger, and leaving the flat again, he walked down the road, passing the prison, carrying on across the main road and down the path until he got to Wellington Bridge.

He got his barely charged phone out and dialled Jackie's number, waiting a moment for her to answer. "Mum said you rang earlier."

"Yeah I did, something's come up in the case but Burke and Campbell have got us all under orders not to tell you until you get back to Glasgow."

Robbie snarled at the news. "I'm fifty two not fucking two!"

"Jeezo, calm down! Where are you? Sounds like you're in a tunnel."

"I'm walking across the bridge and it's a bit windy so it'll sound worse on your end. Just away to Wok Wok for me and mum." He could sense Jackie nodding her head at that, the same way he could sense her hesitation at asking a question. "Spit it out Jackie."

"Have you thought about my offer at all? About selling your flat and moving in with me."

"I have thought about your offer darling but it's not easy because mum is asking all sorts of questions about us and I don't know how to answer them."

"Because it's complicated," they said in unison, chuckling at their knack of knowing what the other is thinking even now that they were currently 121 miles apart.

"I miss you Robbie," Jackie sighed sadly. "When are you coming home?"

"I miss you too. I'm driving back tomorrow afternoon; I should be in Glasgow by teatime, Sunday traffic isn't usually too bad."

"Thought you'd have waited till Monday to come home," she jokingly remarked. "Wind the boss up by rolling in at midday."

"Ha ha, no, I'm being a good boy for once. Listen Jackie, I'll ring you when I get back and we can sort all of this out then, it's not exactly something we can do over the phone."

"No it's not. See you tomorrow, ring me when you get in and I'll come over to yours."


	7. Chapter 4

Robbie let the security door to his luxury city centre apartment building slam shut behind him. He dialled one of his speed dial options and waited a few moments for it to be answered.

"Hello," came the relaxed yet familiar voice on the other end.

"Hi Jackie, I've just got back from mum's can you come to mine tonight. We need to talk and I've made my decision about your offer." Robbie unlocked the door to his flat, dropping his overnight bag to the side of the entrance; letting the door shut itself.

"Yeah, we do need to talk," Jackie agreed, sitting up, startling him in the process. She held up the spare key he gave her for use in emergencies. "I let myself in; I couldn't stay at home and wait for you to ring me."

Robbie got two cans of Pepsi from the fridge offering one to Jackie. "Helped myself earlier on," she said raising her now warm half-drunk can. Flopping onto the couch next to her, Robbie sighed while trying to organise his thoughts.

"I know what I'm doing but I need to get everything else out in the open first."

Jackie nodded. "Okay, I won't interrupt."

Robbie inhaled deeply. "After we arrested McGreevy, the boss gave me an ultimatum stop gambling or stop working, he also forced me to admit that I was also addicted to drinking and sex too. Admitting to those as well as the gambling was much harder, and it has been difficult because having a bet or playing cards is how I've always blown off steam, it's the same with the drink and sex and until the shit with McGreevy, then Baby Doc, I hadn't really stopped to think of the consequences of my addiction. I didn't even see it as an addiction, still don't."

"The debts?" Jackie queried.

"Yeah the debts, I mean now that Baby Doc's locked up, it brings my overall gambling debt down from almost forty grand to around fifteen grand but fucking hell, Jackie, it's going to be so hard to pay it all off, even in affordable instalments every month."

"I know you'll say no again, but I do have some money saved that you can use and I don't want it back." Jackie absently drew patterns with her fingertips on his jean-clad thigh. "I just want to help you Robbie. You're struggling, even now and it hurts seeing you like this."

"I'm not taking your money Jackie, that's yours, spend it on yourself. This is my own mess, it wouldn't be right. When I was at home mum and Stuart helped me to make a final decision and I will, if you're still offering it that is..."

"What have you decided? Are you going to live with me?" Jackie asked, getting straight to the point because she knew he would dither, trying to avoid telling her for as long as possible.

Robbie subtly smiled at her forwardness. "I'll move in with you for a while, at least until I've paid off all my debts, like you said and I'll also pay rent and contribute to the bills. That's if you'll have me."

Jackie released an exaggerated sigh, "Of course I'll have you," giving him her famous I have you by the balls glare, she added, "But Robbie if you screw this up in any way I won't help you ever again and you will be on your own."

"I know," Robbie said, acknowledging the seriousness of her last words.

Jackie got up, and tossed her empty can of pop in the recycling container. "Do you want a hand packing?" she asked, eager to get started.

"Thanks for coming in so early," Karen said, crossing her arms after she took her seat. "If you want a cup of coffee, help yourselves," she offered.

Matt, Robbie and Jackie tapped their medium sized red and white Costa branded paper cups in unison. Karen smiled, politely acknowledging their preparedness.

"Why are we here?" Jackie enquired.

Karen uncrossed her arms. "I called this meeting for the four of us to discuss Robbie's sanctions."

Reaching into his jacket pocket for his warrant card, Robbie snapped, "Here, I'm done."

Matt glared at him. "Sit your arse down son. NOW." For once Robbie did as he was told, much to the amusement of Jackie and Karen.

"I was doing some research last night," Karen started, "I found out through the Gamblers Anonymous UK website that there are no GA meetings anywhere in Scotland, however, I have arranged for a counsellor. It's two appointments a week to start, more sessions can be arranged if they're needed, less if you feel you've gotten enough from them."

"No," Robbie said. "No, I do not need counselling. I'm dealing with my addictions and I cannot grieve for someone I have not seen or spoken to for almost fifty years."

Matt looked at the women for a little help, when none was forthcoming he laid down a few facts for his disgruntled colleague. "Robbie, the counselling is an official sanction and you have to go whether you want to or not. Me and Jackie both know exactly how you feel about your dad but you also need tell it to someone neutral too."

Jackie took the opportunity to refill her coffee cup with the Fair Trade branded blend favoured by the top floor. "There is something we need to tell you," she said before quickly sipping the hot fresh brew.

"What is it Jackie?" Karen asked.

"Robbie's moving in with me, I've got a spare room that I no longer have any use for. It is only temporary until he's cleared his debts and dealt with his addictions."

Karen frowned at the revelation. "I have to admit that I am not happy about this living arrangement."

"I wasn't finished," Jackie snidely remarked. "He has to pay rent, and contribute at least half of the bill money every month. He is also on curfew and he already knows that if comes home after half eleven, I will lock him out."

Matt smirked, quipping, "You can always use my knackered couch for a night when she kicks you out."

"The only exceptions to the curfew are that we're both working late or have been out somewhere."

Karen sighed unhappily. "All right I will approve this for a minimum of six weeks but if there is any hint of anything inappropriate between the two of you, I will put an end to it. I've seen the CCTV footage of your kiss from the undercover operation at The Palace."

Robbie eyed Jackie as he recollecting every minute detail of their long awaited kiss, before he clearing his throat. "I've stayed with Jackie before, when my upstairs neighbours pipes burst and flooded my flat while I was away one weekend. Nothing happened between us, if anything, when I was staying with her I was a lot calmer, and we get along better because we were around each other away from work." Jackie smiled at him as she remembered those few nights that he lived with her four years ago.


	8. Chapter 5

The group lowered their voices as a knock at the door disturbed their meeting. "Come in," Karen said directing the visitor.

Duncan opened the door, gingerly stepping in the office, "Sorry to interrupt," he faltered taking in the bemused looks of the three detectives and the chief superintendent.

"What have you got for us Duncan?" Robbie asked, aiming to ease the younger man's obvious nerves.

Carefully rolling and unrolling the cardboard document folder he was holding, Duncan said, "I have most of the results on Malcolm Forbes post-mortem, I'm still waiting on toxicology but they have assured me that I will have their findings by the end of the day."

"I'd like to sit in on this briefing," Karen said as the four of them followed the young scientist down to the squad room.

Mita pointed the remote at the flat screen monitor on the wall. "These are the CCTV stills showing the victim getting pushed out of a car around twenty to three. I know that DCI Burke already confirmed this for me and Angela, but to clarify, he was already dead when he was dumped."

"Can you zoom in Mita?" Karen asked as she saw what she thought was the killers car. Clicking the zoom button several times, Mita asked, "What is it?"

"Silver colour Vauxhall Astra with 2007 registration. The driver is a Caucasian male, likely in his forties, heavy build, around five six to five eight in height," Karen answered, reeling off a generic profile of the vehicle and their potential suspect. "There is also a passenger, possibly female, behind the victim in the back seat, and it looks like they're opening the front passenger door."

With the new information Robbie quipped, "See even his killer wanted rid of him." His smile subsiding as Matt gave him a cautioning look.

Mita regrouped from Robbie's quick yet uncalled for remark, clearly impressed with the CS ability to still profile offenders and point out potential investigative points. "We, me and Angela, are still going over the CCTV and we are also looking for the car in other locations before and after the body dump."

Accepting the clicker from Mita, Duncan muttered, "Thanks," as he called up a series of autopsy photos. "It isn't pretty," he warned before starting with his own briefing. Robbie and Jackie shared a copy of his report between them, giving him the silent push he habitually looked for before starting.

He called up a several photos side-by-side on the screen. "As you can see his killers weren't messing around and if I was to guess I'd say that he was beaten over a number of days as his injuries are horrific and are similar to those of someone who has been tortured."

Jackie eyed Robbie at various points of the briefing, mouthing, "You can leave." Robbie shook his head at her simple statement although he was thankful that she was looking out for him at this difficult time.

"During my examination I found that Mr Forbes had a massive head injury, his skull was nearly crushed with some pieces of bone embedded in his brain, and all the bones in his hands, fingers and wrists were shattered." Calling up several x-rays images to reiterate his autopsy findings, he continued, "His eyes have been gouged and possibly burnt with something. He also has a detached retina, ruptured spleen, punctured lung, broken ribs and a series of cracks and hairline fractures to the majority of his bones."

Karen was surprised at the magnitude of the dead man's injuries, "You're right Duncan, and they really weren't messing around." When the others glanced at the source of the interruption she said, "Sorry, carry on."

"Forensics also found shards of metal embedded in his numerous cuts, this is likely to be from a scaffold pole, hammer or a similar object and there was also a lot of wood splinters in the wounds too, possibly from a baseball bat or a cricket bat. If you do find out where the attack took place it will help me and the other lab techs in my team narrow it down even further than we already have done."


	9. Chapter 6

Matt was studying the countless CCTV stills from before and after the body dump when he spotted someone who is known to the team from an earlier case, removing the clearest images, he approached Jackie and Robbie's desk. "Either of you got a magnifier?" he requested.

Jackie fished through her desk drawers knowing that Robbie would have misplaced his hand-held eyepiece years ago, finally finding the requested, yet rarely used object at the back of the bottom container. She handed it to the boss. "What is it?" she asked.

"I think the driver of that car is Kevin Nash."

"Oh tell me you're joking," she remarked when Matt the passed the photos and eye glass along for her to double check and confirm his suspicions, while Robbie unwittingly started grinding his teeth, taking his favourite spot, glancing over Jackie's shoulder, invading her personal space as she worked.

"It looks like him," Robbie said making a note of the time stamp.

"Yeah that's Kevin Nash," Jackie confirmed.

"I thought so, thanks you two. Mita, you're with me."

"Where are we going sir?"

Matt tapped the photos he was now carrying. "Paying him a visit."

Robbie was holding one of the autopsy photos up to the light to get a better look at a mark he noticed on the dead man's arm. "Jackie, have you still got that magnifier out?"

"Yeah, here," she said putting the object in his hand. "What is it Robbie?"

"Hopefully it's nothing," he answered placing the picture on the desk, enhancing the marked area with the portable glass. Jackie went around to his side of their joined desks, gently squeezing his shoulder as she invaded his personal space in the same way he frequently did to her. "Evelyn and Robbie," she said reading from the crudely inked names poorly tattooed on his lower arm.

"That bastard," he scolded, quickly standing and grabbing his jacket, declaring, "I'm going out for a smoke."

"Boss made you quit."

Robbie growled. "Aye perfect fucking timing."

"Here, eat this. I know it's not the same." Jackie offered tossing a Double Decker bar to his side of the desk. He tore the wrapper, taking a sizeable bite. "Thanks," he said with his mouth full of the confectionery.

Mita rang the doorbell of the ageing Blochairn property, her and the DCI knew to be rented, and presently occupied by Malcolm's daughter Louise. "Hurry up," she mumbled just as Kevin Nash opened the door greeting the detectives in his usual gruff manner. "I will have you both for harassment," he threatened.

"Of course you will Mr Nash, we're actually here to speak to Louise Forbes," Mita said matching the suspects manner.

A woman in her mid-thirties emerged from the kitchen, where she had been listening to the exchange between her boyfriend and the officers from Strathclyde CID. She stood next to Kevin, keeping the visitors on the doorstep. "Do you know…?" Mita started, stopping her question when she noticed the not until we are certain glare the DCI directed at her.

Matt retrieved one of the clearer CCTV prints he had removed from the thousands of sequential images pinned up on the far wall of the squad room, showing it to the pair. "Did either of you make a journey through the Clyde Tunnel at any time within the last week to ten days?"

Louise shook her head. "I haven't, I don't drive."

"What about you Mr Nash?" Mita asked, her tone mildly threatening.

"I have but I was with Louise all afternoon and we went out to Erskine."

The DS and DCI instantly recognised the rehearsed tone of the couple's contradictory answers to all of the questions they had asked so far. Taking in the woman's anxious state, Matt queried, "What's so special about Erskine?"

Louise was about to answer, suddenly paused before giving them the response that Kevin had instructed her to use, "We were picking up my son, Lucas, from his gran's and he asked if we could drive the car under the tunnel on the way home."

"So the both of you are each other's alibi for the day in question?" Mita asked, for clarity rather than to be a jobs worth.

"Yes, is that all officers?" Louise asked, looking more frightened with her voice shakier than it had been when they started their line of questioning.

Before following Matt away from the house, Mita said, "Thanks for your time," as Louise closed the door, watching through the spyhole as they retreated to their car.

Once they were in the car and out of earshot of their main suspects and passers-by, Matt sighed, "That's a load of old bollocks," he remarked, quickly adding "I may be getting on but the toys haven't scattered across the attic just yet."

Mita was unsure if she should answer the boss or just silently agree with him to keep the peace. She opted to keep the peace. "Their alibi felt a bit too rehearsed for my liking sir. Why did you stop me asking her if she knows Robbie?"

Matt pinched the bridge of his nose. "Miss Forbes is Robbie's sister, well his half-sister. I'm certain that they don't know about each other."

"So with everything else that's going on at the moment, we're not to tell him?" she asked for clarity more than anything else.

"No, not yet, but I am going to tell him today." he answered putting their car in drive and heading back to the station.

Recognising that there would not be a right time to inform Robbie of the newest personal (to him) development in their current investigation, Matt shouted, "DI Ross, my office."

Robbie grudgingly tossed his pen down on top of his paperwork, getting up he noted the light-hearted look of what have you done now from Jackie as he dawdled his way to the DCIs office.

Matt took in the absent look in Robbie's eyes as he went to his desk after closing the door. "Have a seat," he offered.

"I'd rather stand," Robbie replied monotonously.

"We found something out about your dad when we went to see Nash."

"So what?" Robbie shrugged his shoulders. "Look boss, I'm not in the mood for cryptic messages, just spit it out already."

"Nash has a girlfriend." Matt sighed. "Robbie, his girlfriend is Malcolm's daughter Louise, you have a half-sister."

Robbie tried not to be shocked by the boss' revelation that he had a sibling, yet couldn't help the way his eyes bulged a little at hearing the words half-sister. "Did my dad do?" he faltered, unable to finish his question.

"No he didn't do anything to her or his wife, that we know of. I thought it'd best if I told you about her. She doesn't know about you, I had to stop DS Rahim asking her."

Opting not to reply to Matt's comment as he was finding it difficult to process this latest piece of bad news, Robbie left the DCIs office and exited the police station. Over the last month or so things had gone from bad to worse for him and he felt like the walls were closing in and had to get out of there before he went crazy and did or said something he would later regret.

Jackie was about to get up and go after him. "Leave him be, Jackie," he ordered before going back to his office.

Quickly touch-typing a text to Robbie, Jackie put her phone on top of a stack of case folders, continuing her paperwork and impatiently waiting for a reply she knew wouldn't come through for a few hours.


	10. Chapter 7

Jackie was watching Robbie clenching and unclenching his fists for the umpteenth time since they'd been home, how he hadn't worn a hole in the living room carpet from his constant pacing was a mystery to her. Involuntary sucking in a sharp breath, she finally said, "Sit down, you're making me uncomfortable."

"If I sit down I'll keep seeing that, that, thing again and I don't want to." Robbie continued pacing, this time he repeatedly unlocked and locked the keypad on his phone, much to Jackie's annoyance. "Waiting for a text," he said sarcastically when she glared at him.

Jackie shook her head, "You're bottling it up Rob." She was disappointed that he was already considering going back to his old ways without giving any time to adjust to the new. "You've got to try and find a different way to deal with this. It is hard now but it'll be worth it in the end." He needed to blow off steam that had been blatantly obvious since Duncan left them with a copy of his findings from the post mortem to read through and reference for their case reports, and the boss had told him about his half sister. She knew him and, with that knowledge came the fear that blowing a few grand in one night at poker or on an often-fixed cage fight would set back his recovery by several months.

Robbie's phone vibrated against the palm of his hand, quickly unlocking the keypad again, speed reading the new text. "Fuck sake! All I want to do is play poker," he scolded the piece of reinforced plastic and tempered glass.

Jackie got up, tucking her laptop under her arm, "Piss off, you miserable bastard!" she shouted, before leaving the room and going upstairs for some breathing space.

Hearing Robbie's footfalls outside her bedroom, Jackie quickly ended the Facebook chat she was having and logged out of the social networking site, turning on the hair dryer even though her hair was almost dry from the shower she had earlier.

"I like your hair longer, it suits you," Robbie said offering the compliment as a means of apology.

Closing the door, he leant against it for a few moments watching Jackie fiddle with the hem of the button-down nightshirt she was wearing. "This is too hard," he admitted crossing the room to the bed; sitting on the edge waiting for her to say something, anything to him, while she eyed him wearily hoping that he would open up some more to her about the struggles he was having in dealing with his addictions.

Although she and the boss had both given him an ultimatum, hers had hit him the hardest because it meant that he would lose something a lot more important to him than money and material things if he fucked it up.

He would lose her.

For good.

Brushing his lips against hers, Jackie grabbed the collar of his tee shirt deepening the kiss as he pushed her back on the bed, standing between her legs, glancing down as she effortlessly undid all the buttons of his fly. Pulling her pants to the side he fondled her clit "well," he said entering with more force than he should have. "Up just a litt…" she couldn't finish her sentence as he hit that sweet spot just right.

Waiting a beat for her to adjust to the intrusion he held her hips as she matched his movements. Shifting slightly for a deeper angle, Jackie let out a series of reciprocal low throaty moans, remaining propped up on one elbow; her free hand caressing his back, short manicured nails biting into the tanned skin when he ran a finger between her damp lower lips, brushing against her swollen clit.

Her hand went to the back of his neck, drawing him down to her for another lust-fuelled kiss. Seeing the fear in his eyes at their actions, and even though she wanted this to happen as much as he did, she could tell that he was now having regrets about it.

He pulled out while he was still hard, "Ow," Jackie complained as he guiltily avoided making eye contact, readjusting his boxers and jeans, fleeing the room to do the only thing he could do at this moment knowing that he had crossed what was once a seemingly uncrossable line.

Easing herself from the semi-prone position a struggling and frightened Robbie had left her in a few minutes earlier; Jackie heaved a sigh as her body throbbed in the aftermath of the unexpected intrusion.

Once she was able to stand, her initial plan was to freshen up, only changing her mind because there were more important things to deal with; and could just about cope with the discomfort for a little longer.

Making her way to the spare room, she looked on in disappointment at Robbie haphazardly shoving clothes and toiletries into a holdall. Knowing what she had to do; she quietly went downstairs and stood in front of the door anxiously waiting a few minutes for the inevitable to happen.

Robbie hurtling down the stairs like a bat out of hell, barely stopping when he saw that she was blocking the only exit he had. "Move!" he yelled.

Jackie stayed where she was, arms folded across her chest, giving him the glare that was normally reserved for suspects and ex-cons. "Make me."

"Fine," Robbie huffed, stepping into her personal space, grabbing her upper arms hard enough to leave bruises, trying and failing to physically move her out of his way. "Why aren't you moving?" he screamed.

Standing strong, Jackie calmly warned him, "You walk out that door right now and your never coming back in."

"Your joking, you wouldn't do it."

"No I'm not joking and yes I would do it, but Robbie, we've got too much to deal with."

Defeated, and refusing to admit it, Robbie stalked into the kitchen to get away from her, punching the top of the dining table as he passed it. "I'm drowning," he choked out.

Following, and standing behind him, Jackie put her arms around his waist, drawing him into a compassionate hug that he was desperately trying to resist. Instead of saying the generic 'I know you are' to him she sobbed, "I'm drowning too," in an effort to get him back onside even for just a minute. It seemed to be working as he turned, beginning to accept the platonic gesture of comfort from her, breaking down in the caring embrace.

The malty scent of the Horlicks comfortingly invaded Robbie's nostrils as he slowly sipped the still piping hot liquid. "I have no idea where to start," he said softly his voice still heavy for crying.

"Take your time, we've got all night if we need it."

Taking another sip of his drink Robbie gently breathed out. "The other week when we kissed," he briefly paused as the sensations replayed in his mind, "was everything I thought it would be and more. I just wish we hadn't wasted twelve years and that you'd have kissed me again."

"We haven't wasted that time really, other people got in the way and had we not been working that night we would have slept together, I mean we've both been around long enough to know that you don't kiss someone like that and not have anything else happen."

Feeling Robbie's fingers entwine with hers, Jackie smiled softly at the gesture.

"I still remember my first day at Maryhill."

"So do I," Jackie smirked. "You were flirting with me from the moment you arrived and inviting me out for a drink before including everyone else so it didn't look like a date."

"Aye, but you weren't having it, you were a cold fish and that made me realise that you are my future, you always will be, but we never happened."

"I may have acted like I wasn't buying it but inside I was smitten, and all you had to do was be yourself and drop the gods gift to women act. You might have got somewhere then, still might, after all the future is a long time."

Robbie flashed a depressed smile at her. "I wasted a load of my free texts tonight looking for a poker game but nobody wants to play, I asked about fights too."

"I gathered that from your reactions, I've got a deck of cards somewhere," Jackie said, taking a long sip of her hot chocolate. "We can always play for sweets; there's a half-eaten bag of Maltesers in the cupboard."

Shaking his head at her offer "it wouldn't be the same," heaving a sigh, he added, "I also realised that out of both ultimatums, it was you, well your one last chance that made me realise just how much I'd be losing if I kept gambling. I can't lose you Jackie, your too important to me."

Jackie nodded at his admission knowing there was something else he wanted to get off his chest but was hesitating; she squeezed his hand, offering reassurance.

"I never thought I'd say this about a case but investigating my dad's murder and finding out I have family I didn't know about is really taking its toll on me and I've been considering all of my options over the last few weeks. I want to make a final decision about the job. I've had enough, Jackie, I want out."

Understanding what he meant, Jackie said, "Make sure it is what you really want, I know you too well Rob, you get in those I've had enough moods during tough cases," carefully pushing her empty mug out of the way. "When I was on Facebook earlier, Stuart invited me up to Aberdeen for the weekend. Why don't we go up together and you can make your decision then."

"Yeah a weekend away would be good for us."

Jackie clutched her phone, pressing 3 – Stuart's assigned speed dial. "Hi Stuart, its Jackie. Me and Robbie are coming up this weekend." She couldn't help but grin at her best friend's obvious excitement. "We'll be getting the train up on Friday after work; I'll text you when we get to Queen Street." Ending the call, placing the phone on the table.

Robbie gave her a questioning glance. "Where are you going to stay? I'll be at my mum's and there's not enough room for three of us."

"Stuart's got a spare room; I'll be staying at his," Jackie said, looking up at the clock on the wall. "Almost four, we should get some sleep."

Running a hand through his messy hair, Robbie paused before asking, "Can I sleep with you tonight?"

"As long as that's all you do," Jackie said, sending a warning to him that other activities would have to wait for the time being.

Mita held back from joining in with the easy banter of her senior colleagues as they made their way up the steps into the train station. "Enjoy Aberdeen," she said, deciding to leave the three of them to look at the screens for the platform that their train would depart from.

Robbie saw the odd look Jackie had for the now absent younger woman and waited for the comeback. "That's two words that don't fit together," she retorted.

Matt smirked at the comment before saying, "Right I'll see you back here bright and early Monday morning. Give the lad my best," he said.

Jackie unlinked her arm from Robbie's, noting the disappointment at the broken contact in his eyes, she said, "I'm off to Boots to get a sandwich and drink for the train. Do you want anything?"

"Yeah get us a ham and cheese if they have it, and bottle of Irn Bru."

Robbie's attention was transfixed on the information board with all the stations the Aberdeen train stopped at en-route that he didn't notice Jackie return with their refreshments, until she linked her arm with his once more. "Platform six," she said as they made their way through the crowd to get to the train. They quickly got on and found a seat without reservation stubs. Jackie took the window seat while Robbie put their bags on the overhead luggage racks, taking the aisle seat; he removed one of her ear-buds, listening to the playlist of classical and blues music she synchronised on to her iPod before they left.

"Have you text Stuart yet?" he asked.

"Yeah, I text him when I went for the food."

"He's meeting us at the station then?"

"Yep. What's with all the questions Rob?" Jackie asked, quietly worrying about him.

"I'll leave you two at the station and get the bus to my mum's, it saves Stuart from going out of his way and doubling back on himself."

Feeling his hand rest on her upper arm, Jackie rested her head on his shoulder, she softly said, "He won't mind giving you a lift home honey and I'd like to meet your mum."

Stuart kept looking up at the arrivals board in Guild Street station while he waited on Robbie and Jackie's train pulling in. He had been excited about the visit since Jackie rang him earlier in the week to accept his invitation, something that surprised him because she made it clear that she wasn't fond of the Granite City so he knew that something must have happened between her and Robbie that she couldn't tell him on Facebook or over the phone.

The tin can croak of the woman on the tannoy announced, "The next train arriving at platform 5 is the 17:14 ScotRail service from Glasgow Queen Street." At the end of the communiqué, Stuart stood near the electronic ticket barriers to wait for his best friends.

Stuart's eyes lit up like the fairy lights on a Christmas tree as Jackie came through the gate, hugging him tightly. "I miss you," she whispered tearfully.

"I miss you too," he said, holding on for a few moments longer until Robbie coughed breaking up their reunion.

Robbie put his arm around Jackie's waist, gently squeezing her side, "I'm away," he announced, quickly kissing her on the lips. "The twelve is due in a few minutes, I can walk to mum's from the golf course," he said moving away from his best friends.

"Don't be daft Robbie; I'll give you a lift to your mum's," Stuart said, "I parked in the drop off area, I'm not supposed to." The three of them made their way along the concourse to the doubled up taxi rank and public drop off point.

At the car Stuart placed their bags in the boot; Jackie sat in the front, Robbie in the back. After navigating the one way system away from the station, Stuart turned left, heading straight along South College Street, not planning on making a detour until Robbie tapped him on the shoulder just before Wellington Place. "Do us a favour; turn up here onto Crown Street. Fancy a Chinese, either of you want anything?"

"I'll have my usual with an extra portion of hot and sour sauce," Jackie answered, looking across at Stuart. "He'll have his usual with an extra portion of prawn crackers."

Robbie rolled his eyes, quietly loving the fact that his best friends takeaway orders had barely changed over the years. "Won't be long," he said as he got out of the car, running across the road to the restaurant.

Stuart turned as best as he could in the confined space. "Spill it," he demanded.

"The other night," Jackie exhaled, "Me and Robbie had sex."

"It's taken you long enough!"

A hint of a sorrowful smile formed on Jackie's lips. "He tried walking out afterwards, and I stopped him. I know that he's been struggling, especially with his addiction, but for him to react like a deer caught in the headlights is unlike him," spotting Robbie exiting the takeaway with 4 bags of food, she added, "I'll tell you everything later on, when we get to yours."

"If you want a drink you'll have to make your own," Evelyn said as the trio occupied the remaining seats at the kitchen table. Jackie was about to get up and make a cup of tea when Robbie stopped her. "I'll do it darling, who else wants a tea?" he asked, smirking as Stuart and Evelyn raised their hands.

"Oh wow this is delicious," Jackie mumbled appreciatively as she swallowed another portion of aubergine and king prawns in sea spicy sauce. Evelyn and Robbie smiled at the declaration.

Finishing the last of her beef in black bean sauce, Evelyn moved on to the one subject she knew would make her son squirm. "I have to say hen, you're an improvement on the last one he brought home."

Jackie instantly realised that the older woman was referring to Gaby. "I'll take that as a compliment but I have to say I wasn't overly impressed the only time I met her. She came to the station one Friday and left Jamie on his own to wait for his dad. I looked after him while Rob was out, it didn't seem right to leave him downstairs."

Evelyn scowled at Jackie's admission. "Had I known that she did that, I would have encouraged Rob to get custody of him."

Stuart stayed out of the exchange, looking over at Robbie every so often, knowing he was ready to snap at the character assassination of his ex-wife. Hearing Jackie laugh at Evelyn muttering "She gees me the boak." Robbie stepped in, shouting, "Quines, please, that's my wife your talking about!"

"Ex-wife and don't you dare forget that Robbie Ross," Jackie bit back with vehemence.

Evelyn and Stuart remained quiet after Jackie's riled reply, realising that there was now a lot more to their relationship than the just best mates line they have been spinning to them. Whereas Stuart knew a little bit more about the situation than Evelyn did, it wasn't his place to say and he wouldn't betray a confidence for the sake of a bit of matchmaking, even though it was the right thing to do. They had to sort it out themselves.

Stuart stood and put his plate and cup in the plastic washing up bowl. "It's a long drive to Newburgh, we should get going," he said, aiming the suggestion at Jackie.

Taking the thinly veiled hint, Jackie repeated her friends actions. "It was nice to finally meet you Mrs Ross," Jackie said.

"Likewise hen, and it's Evelyn."

"Right, I'll remember for next time," Jackie promised as she hugged the older woman.

"I'll see you in the morning." Robbie said giving Jackie a sad look, while silently facing up to the fact that he'd be sleeping alone for the next two nights. "Where are we meeting?"

"Union Square, the entrance where New Look is. We can decide everything else tomorrow," Stuart answered.

Robbie followed Stuart and Jackie out to the car, holding her tightly, he whispered, "I'll hardly sleep this weekend." Tenderly kissing him on the lips, "it's only for two nights," she uttered at the end of the kiss. "Sorry about earlier, I was going along with her."

"Yeah right," he groused, "You never did like Gaby."

Robbie slowly made his way back inside when their car turned on to Victoria road, hearing water running for the washing up, he said, "Sit down mum, I'll do that." Evelyn massaged her sore, cramped leg while Robbie washed the dishes. "What's going with you two love?"

The sponge squeaked against the plate he was cleaning. "I can't say there's nothing's going on can I?"

"No chance!"

Robbie put the plate on the dish rack, turning to face his mum he leaned against a dry spot on the sink top. "We're mates and we live together. She's helping me through a rough patch."

"How long have you been sleeping with her?"

Robbie scoffed at his mum's direct questioning, knowing he had no way of hiding now. "Not that long, a few days actually but it's taken us about twelve years to get to this stage."

"I like Jackie, she's good for you love, but whatever you do, don't screw it up. You only get one chance with someone like her."

Evelyn's last words lingered as Robbie rinsed the excess soap from the last plate, letting the dirty tepid water drain down the plughole. He knew that he couldn't screw up and he vowed to himself that he wouldn't because of how much there was for him to lose if he made a tiny indiscretion. "Night mum," he said, kissing her cheek before making his way down the hall to his bedroom.


	11. Chapter 8

The desk sergeant was finishing off some of the paperwork that had built up during the weekend shift, hearing the door open, he looked up said "Can I help you?" to the dishevelled and desolate woman who had entered the police station.

"Is DCI Burke here?" she spoke softly but broken-down. "I need to speak to him, it's about Malcolm Forbes."

Recognising the name of the victim from the biggest murder investigation Glasgow Central CID had for a while and that was without the accompanying office gossip, he picked up the phone, quickly dialling the required extension number. "DCI Burke, its Sergeant McNally, there's a woman down here to see you." Putting the phone down he said, "have a seat, he's on his way down."

A few minutes later Matt entered the main reception, spotting Louise anxiously pacing near the row of seats, he carefully approached her, "Miss Forbes, you wanted to see me."

She turned to face the man who visited her flat several weeks ago. "It's all got too much, I can't take it any more."

"What's too much?" A curious look etched on the DCIs face. "What can't take what any more?"

Sighing, Louise admitted, "I'm not Kevin's alibi," pausing a beat, "I'm his accomplice; I helped him kill my dad."

Matt beckoned the desk sergeant to where he and Louise were, "Can you take Miss Forbes to interview room one?"

Watching as the officer escorted one of their main suspects through to the custody suite; Matt ran a hand over his face. "Thank god Robbie's not here," he muttered to himself before making his way to the interview room.

Pressing play on the tape deck Matt reeled off the identifying information of the interview, formally cautioning Louise before starting his interrogation.

"Miss Forbes, you now officially under caution and have been advised of your rights. If at any stage of this interview you decide that you do want a solicitor to be present, one of the duty team will be appointed as your legal counsel. Do you understand?"

"Yes."

Hesitating a moment before beginning his questioning, Matt asked, "Why did you lie to me and DS Rahim when we came to your flat four weeks ago?"

"Kevin told me what I had to say to you and he said that the police would come and ask questions about it, and that you wouldn't check out our alibis."

"We did check your alibis, both of you were seen for several minutes on CCTV in the tunnel, pushing your dead father out of the car."

Taking in Louise's defeated demeanour, Matt tread carefully with an important question, "What did Mr Forbes do that made the two of you end his life?"

Sniffling, and drying her eyes with the back of her hands, she sobbed, "The bastard abused my son. He beat him repeatedly with a belt, sometimes he used electrical cords and sometimes he used a cat-o'-nine-tails."

"How does Kevin Nash fit in to all of this?"

"I saw Kevin's story in the Evening Times, after his wife Paula was sent to prison for those murders a couple of years ago and I knew that he'd be someone I could rely on to carry it through. At first when I asked him, he said no because of everything that happened with Sharon and then with Paula, but when I told him about dad hurting Lucas, he got really pissed off and said that he couldn't wait to get started."

"What was the plan?"

"The plan was that Kevin would pick dad up from the pub and take him home but rather taking the Erskine exit, he'd take the Govan one instead and take him to the garage."

Watching the interview from behind the one way glass, Karen shook her head at the flawed logic of the details of the woman's plan: playing on an aggressive male's biggest insecurity – another aggressive male – just to get him to do your bidding for you.

"When they got to the garage, I hit him over the head with a piece of scaffolding and tied him to a chair. Kevin hit and kicked him repeatedly before taking a mallet hammer and hit his hands and fingers, the same way you'd hammer a nail into a wall or piece of wood."

"What else did you do?"

"After we'd got bored of beating him up on the first day we put a strip of gaffer tape over his mouth, locked the garage back up and went home and had sex. The next five days were pretty much the same, we would go to the garage, torture him some more, have sex. The only thing we did not take into account when we started taking our revenge on him was that our treatment of him might actually kill him. We just thought that we'd beat him up a bit, scare him, and then leave him somewhere to get help and that he'd be all right."

"The fact, Louise, that he is lying in my morgue with extensive injuries tells me that he isn't all right."

"Of all the things that we did that could have killed him, I think, it was either the thirteenth or fourteenth time we hit him in the head with the scaffold because some of his brain was starting to show in between the cracks."

Karen pursed her lips together, swallowing the bile rising up her throat, upon hearing more details of the despicable cruelty Louise and Kevin subjected Malcolm to for his torment of her child.

"How did you find out about the abuse Louise?"

"Mum was giving Lucas his bath when she saw the marks on his back and she asked him what happened and that's when he told her that granddad did it to him and that he'd done it a few times in the last two years. Two years, two fucking years, it was happening and I didn't even know about it."

"No wonder Robbie hated him," Karen whispered dejectedly.

Mita entered the observation area, informing Karen of an arrest relevant to the current case. "Kevin Nash was picked up on Argyle Street earlier; he's in interview room two."

"Thanks Mita, I'll be through in a minute." Getting her phone out of her pocket, Karen quickly touch-typed Nash arrested int2 tapping send; she put it away, heading towards the interview room.

Hearing a dull ping Matt noticed the LED flashing red alerting him to a new event. Typing in a short passcode, he selected messages, scanning the newest received he made a change to his next line of questioning.

"Where is Kevin, Louise? You're a smart woman; surely, you knew what getting involved with him would entail."

"No, no, I didn't know everything about his past, just what I'd read in the paper. The only thing he told me was that he was looking to move on from Paula and start again with me and Lucas because he was getting fed up of waiting for her to finish her sentence."

"Well six years is a long time, but right now I'm looking to get a violent, unpredictable man off the city's streets before he hurts anyone else."

Watching as Louise once again began to cry weakly under the pressure of his interview technique; Matt reworded one of his original questions, "Where does Kevin go to cool off?"

Heaving a loud inhuman wail, Louise screeched, "Kevin rents a garage in Govan, he goes there whenever he needs to lie low for a while."

Leaving the room, Matt whispered, "Do not let her out of your sight," to the uniform officer, he made his way to the other observation room watching Mita and Karen interrogating Kevin.

Upon hearing one of Karen's questions, he typed garage Govan warrant sending it to both women.

Mita glanced at her phone, eyeing Kevin as she whispered the new information to Karen. "We know you have a garage in Govan Mr Nash," Karen said, trying not to sound smug. Kevin's face was slowly reddening as the women got closer to the truth. "Yeah I do have a garage, so what," he sneered.

"We have a search warrant," Mita stated, sounding a little more conceited than she intended to.

Kevin swallowed hard. "You do?"

"I have team on the way over there right now," Karen told him matter-of-factly.

"Oh all right, it's where we took Malcolm and tortured him for six days before we killed him. Cunts like that deserve everything they get."

Matt could not help but laugh at the man's choice of words, given that he was essentially taking about himself, was even more amusing.

Karen and Mita left the interview room, joining Matt in the observation area. "I spoke to the Sheriff while you were in there with Nash; the warrant is getting faxed over."

"That was easier than I thought it would be," Karen remarked. "My current role doesn't really allow me any time to oversee active investigations, let alone interview suspects."

Mita left the senior officers to go and get the legal document that they would need before they could enter the premises to execute their forensic examinations and remove evidence.

"Interrogating suspects is like riding a bike, Karen, once you learn how to you never forget it."


	12. Chapter 9

Parking opposite a row of dilapidated garages, Matt directed his officers to the one they had a warrant to gain access to, a constable had been given the task of removing the corroding metal chain and padlock with a pair of bolt cutters, while Duncan sorted out his kit before directing his team on what was to be taken away for evidence and testing as well as the areas he wanted photographing and sketching.

Upon hearing an unsavoury creak a few minutes later, Matt shouted, "Right you know what to do." He was the last person inside the crime scene, following his officers and the lab techs to oversee the collection of forensic evidence, and to get a better idea of the conditions the victim had been confined to for the duration of his repeated attacks.

Picking up a well-used rusty and charred fireplace poker, Duncan carefully examined the thin pole, paying attention to the pattern on the tip. He waited a moment before approaching the DCI.

"This," he said, holding the object up, "is what blinded him."

"Are you sure son?"

"Yes. The pattern on the tip is the same as the burn marks on his eyeballs."

Placing the plastic wrapped item near the entrance of the garage for one of his team to catalogue, Duncan picked up an unprofessionally shortened scaffold pole and partially cracked mallet hammer on his way back to the centre of the room. Noting the pattern of the blood spatter and small fragments of bone and tissue that had stuck to the weapons, he said, "I'm certain they'll have cracked his skull and possibly broken his kneecaps and elbows with these."

"Christ almighty," Matt uttered, wincing at the severity of the victims injuries caused by the various tools. "Those two really wanted him to suffer."

"Why? What did he do?" Duncan asked, taking in the anguished demeanour of the man who often made him feel nervous.

"Revenge son, one of the oldest motives in the book," Matt replied, "They found out that he had been abusing his grandson."

Shaking his head at the new information, "The bastard!" Duncan admonished, quickly rebounding he enquired more calmly, "How old is the boy?"

"He's only five," Matt sighed gloomily. "His grandmother gave him a bath one night and seeing the belt mark bruises on his back she asked him what happened and he told her that granddad did it."

Fighting back the threatening tears Duncan enquired, "What will happen to him?"

"It's for the Children's Panel to decide, although he'll more than likely be placed with his grandmother and appointed a social worker, but on saying that the panel may rule that he has to go in to care for a time."

"Care may be the best place for him. I know he only recently found out that he has a sister but does Robbie know that he also has a nephew?"

Clapping the young man on the shoulder Matt said, "No son, not yet, but I'll introduce them when he and Jackie get back from Aberdeen."

"When is that?"

"Why are you missing them?"

"No," Duncan chuckled. "I'm just used to them also been at crime scenes."

"Tomorrow, they're getting the train back tonight."


	13. Chapter 10

Matt smirked as he saw Robbie and Jackie looking bleary eyed while slowly making their way in to the incident room "Morning you two, how was the 'deen?" he said more cheerfully than he intended to for the early hour.

"Dreich," Jackie remarked half-heartedly. "As grim as it always is really."

Robbie chuckled at his love's disdain for the city he grew up in. "It was good boss, mum and Jackie got along even though they were criticising my ex-wife's parenting skills."

Matt laughed, wishing he had been a fly on the wall for that particular encounter. He didn't much care for the woman either but that was due to the fact that she had him essentially distracted to the point of recklessness during the Kyla McMartin investigation. "While you we're away we had a breakthrough in the case."

"What kind of breakthrough?" Jackie enquired.

"Two arrests," Mita answered joining her colleagues. "Good weekend?"

Jackie nodded. "Yeah, I'll tell you about it later."

"Who did you arrest?" Robbie asked, getting the others back on track.

"Your sister and Kevin Nash," Matt said.

"Half-sister," Robbie said, correcting his superior, grinding his teeth at hearing the name of the man he once attacked and vowed to get one day. "Has that smug bastard said why he did it?"

"They have," Matt confirmed. "Apparently Malcolm abused Lucas, Louise's five year old son and once she told Kevin about the abuse they planned their revenge on him. Lucas is in my office; his grandma has gone to get him a bottle of Ribena from the machine."

Jackie tugged Robbie's Jacket sleeve, moving them away from the others. "I know what I'd do." She studied him for a moment before speaking again. "It's up to you if you want to meet Lucas. He is your nephew and he's probably too young to really understand what happened to him, like you were. Maybe you could help him deal with it."

Taking a few minutes to fully take on Jackie's comments Robbie said, "Boss, can I meet the boy?"

Matt grinned. "Yeah come on," he said as they went to his office.

Robbie's smile faded when he saw the gaunt child sitting in the boss' oversized chair observing the alien surroundings of the cluttered space. "Hiya matey, I'm Robbie," he said attempting to get Lucas' attention.

Lucas looked up at the man who had similar features to him. "I'm Lucas."

Matt was about to close the door when Lucas began shouting and crying at the simple gesture of privacy, Jackie and Mita come running into the room. "What's going on?" she scolded the men as she went to the desk and sat down on the floor near where Lucas had hidden.

"Lucas, I'm Jackie, what's the matter lovely?"

Lucas slowly emerged from under the desk, and cuddled up to Jackie allowing her caress his forehead to comfort him, his tears and fear subsiding at the female presence. "Granddad shut the door."

Jackie wanted to swear but decided to curb her tongue in the child's presence. "I'll have a word with them," she promised.

Mita, Robbie and Matt were talking quietly when Robbie suggested taking Lucas up to the roof to see the city and get some fresh air, maybe bond with the boy over Malcolm's cruelty.

"Wow!" Lucas exclaimed as he saw Glasgow city centre from the rooftop of the police station for the very first time. "I've never been on a roof before, Robbie."

Robbie sat on the gravel and waited a moment for Lucas to do the same.

"Was my granddad bad to you?" he asked.

"Yeah he was bad to me and my mum." Robbie removed his jacket and started rolling up his left shirtsleeve to show the scar he got when he was a little younger than his nephew was.

Lucas hesitated at the adults actions. "I didn't like it."

Robbie lightly squeezed his hand. "I didn't like it and neither did my mum."

"Will I meet your mum Robbie?"

"One day matey but it won't be today because she lives in Aberdeen; it's a long way away."

"That's near the top of Scotland!" Lucas stated.

Robbie laughed at the statement as Jackie came onto the rooftop with his mobile. "Rob, it's your mum; she wants an update on the case."

He got up, kissing her on the cheek as he took the phone from her. "Can you sit with him for a few minutes?"

Jackie took Robbie's spot next to Lucas; she threw an uneasy glance at him instantly recognising that something was upsetting him, something else. "What's wrong sweetie?"

"Robbie's going to hurt me too," he said shakily as he sat on Jackie's legs.

"Robbie won't hurt you, why do you think he will?" she asked, stroking the side of his face as she held him.

Lucas rubbed the tears from his eyes. "He took his jacket off and rolled up his sleeves. Granddad did that before he did bad things to me."

Jackie rolled her eyes at her partner's lack of tact. "Oh d'you know something Lucas, Robbie can be a right numpty sometimes. I'll have a word with him."

"Bye mum, love you," Robbie said ending the call; he sat beside Jackie shooting her a curious look. "What?"

"You scared Lucas! That's what," she said lightly punching his arm as he sat beside her. "He thinks you're going to hurt him too."

"No, I'd never do that." Robbie reached across to touch the boy. "I was going to show you the scar I got from sticking up for my mum when granddad was bad to her."

Lucas' cheeks flushed a light red tint. "Sorry Robbie."

"It's okay matey. I should have told you what I was going to do before I did it."

Jackie rubbed her goosepimply-covered arms. "I should have worn my jacket," she grimaced as Robbie draped his blazer across her shoulders to ease the effects of the wind-chill.

_One week later_

Having found a quiet hour near the end of the day to get through the paperwork that had accumulated during the final stages of the Malcolm Forbes investigation, Karen snarled at the phone as it interrupted her work. Lifting the receiver "CS Campbell," she answered in her politest voice.

"My name is Ella MacKinnon; I'm Lucas Forbes social worker he says that he knows you."

"Yes we know Lucas." Karen's heart sank a little at hearing the child's name. "Why do you want to know?"

"Brenda Forbes has died," Ella briefly paused. "A neighbour broke in to the flat after they saw smoke coming from the window, Lucas had been trying to make something to eat when the kitchen caught on fire."

Tears silently rolled down Karen's cheeks. "How did Brenda die?"

Ella heaved a sigh before answering. "Suicide, the neighbour found her in the bath, she slit her wrists."

Dabbing her damp eyes with a clean handkerchief, Karen maintained her composure and said, "Thank you, Miss MacKinnon; we'll be there within the hour. Is there anyone with Lucas the now?"

"No," Ella confirmed, "I can stay with him until you get here, the paramedics are currently checking him over for the effects of smoke inhalation and other injuries."

Parking in an empty space near the high-rise accommodation block, Jackie once again aired her lowered opinion of Brenda as the four senior officers got out of the car. The others agreed with her in principle but opted to leave her to blether on like a broken record about her perceived selfishness of the grandmother's actions.

"Stay here darling," Robbie ordered as he went to the ambulance where Lucas was being looked after by the medics and social worker.

"Robbie!" Lucas said as another hard rib-rattling cough shook his tiny frame; his clothes and skin were blackened from the fire, voice raspy from effects of the smoke inhalation.

Ella stepped out of the ambulance, moving away from it, Robbie followed her, asking a series of questions regarding the current situation and why she had not intervened sooner. When she couldn't answer every question Robbie give her a disdainful look, and opined that all social workers were bloody useless and not fit for their purpose, although he'd worked with some damn good social workers over the years he was letting his anger at the situation out at the nearest target rather than thinking about what was going to be best for his nephew.

Matt observed the battle of wits between the DI and the inexperienced social worker, deciding to mediate before things turned uglier than they currently were. "Is there a problem?" he asked, stepping in between the pair.

"Nah boss," Robbie scoffed.

Ella shook her head. "Mr Ross wants to take Lucas home that is not permitted."

"Detective Inspector Ross is the boy's uncle, and Miss MacKinnon, you went to university you should be familiar with the Children's (Scotland) Act 1995, particularly section sixty one emergency measures and subsection five about police powers in an emergency situation."

The social worker was silent for a moment as she tried to recovering for the scathing reprimanding comments of the DCI; Robbie was trying and failing to prevent a smug grin from appearing. Once she recovered she asked, "Where do you live Mr Ross?"

"The west end, I live with my girlfriend."

"And she is okay with the child being placed with you temporarily?"

Robbie rolled his eyes at the naivety of her question; Matt pointed to the ambulance where Jackie was sitting on the retractable steps comforting the shell-shocked child, "As you can see, she's with him the now," he said turning to the young woman he added, "Can he go home with them? If he can, me and my superiors will back up this decision to the sheriff and children's panel."

After finishing their tea of takeaway pepperoni pizza, Alabama mud pie and Sprite, the trio were under a king-size duvet cuddled up on the oversized leather sofa. It was the only item of furniture that Robbie hadn't quite been able to part with the day the removal van for the local charity turned up at his old flat. They were laughing in unison at The Muppet Show DVD Lucas had brought with him. He drowsily looked up at Jackie when Gonzo tried to fire himself out of a canon. "Who's your favourite Muppet?" he asked.

"Gonzo," Jackie said tapping her nose. "Same feature," she jokingly remarked.

Robbie snorted at the quick-witted comment. "Who's your favourite matey?" he asked while trying to control his laughter.

"Kermit, he's sweet, for a frog."

Jackie smiled contently as she looked lovingly at her favourite men in her life, knowing that she wouldn't swap moments like the one they were currently sharing for anything in the world. "You know our favourites Rob, who's yours?"

"Miss Piggy," he answered. "She knows what she wants and gets it." Winking at Jackie, knowing that she would understand why he liked the self-confessed diva.

Hearing the steady even breathing of Robbie and Lucas, Jackie pressed stop on the DVD remote and quickly joined them in a comfortable slumber.

"I'm gonna go up and have a quick shower, make sure he finishes his cereal." Jackie said walking out of the kitchen.

Lucas tried talking as he chewed another spoonful of Coco Shreddies "Robbie, can…" he said with his mouthful.

"Don't talk with your mouthful, its rude," Robbie reminded him.

"Sorry," Lucas said. "Can I buy Jackie a present?"

"What for?" Robbie asked, intrigued by the boy's question.

A sheepish smile appeared on his mouth. "Because she lets me put red sauce and brown sauce on my chips."

Several minutes later Jackie returned, refreshed and ready for work. She kissed the top of Lucas's head, then Robbie on the lips. "I'll see you tonight. What are you two doing today?"

"I've got the day off; we're going into town to do a spot of shopping, and I'm going to weigh up all the options."

Jackie nodded, instantly recognising the late night conversation that he was referring to.

_Three weeks later_

Seeing that Karen's office door was open, Robbie took the rare opportunity to walk in unannounced and reveal his decision. "Hi Karen, have you got a minute?"

Karen looked up from her computer monitor. "Of course Robbie, what can I do for you?"

"I've made a decision about the job."

Robbie occupied one of the extra seats at the opposite side of the desk. "I've decided to leave the force, this case was too hard for me and I would, if you'll agree to it, like to be considered for early retirement."

Karen casually glanced at him, realising that he was serious she gave him the only answer she could. "As long as early retirement is what you really want and not just a couple of weeks off to recharge your batteries."

"I want early retirement Karen; this isn't one of my hasty 'fuck it I've had enough' decisions. A few weeks back we were up most of the night talking about it and I know that having Lucas live with us is only for another couple of days but since Brenda's death it just makes sense that one us should be at home for him."

"How are things between you two?"

"Me and Jackie?" he asked, knowing that was exactly what she meant.

"Yeah, you and Jackie," she paused, "Unless there's someone else."

"There is no one else," Robbie laughed. "Things are really good between us, we're still living together and she hasn't killed me. Yet. Actually we've been together for a couple of months, but not after us having some false starts over the years."

"False starts?" Karen queried, unsure at what he meant.

"It's a bit complicated," Robbie started, trying not to laugh at her question. "After I found out that her marriage had ended I said we could try and she said that we couldn't, that seemed to be the end of it, but when I was staying with her the first time, we talked about giving it a try and were serious but my ex-wife showed up, just before her and my son moved to Canada, and that put an end to it for me and Jackie."

Karen nodded at his admission, realising that their relationship was much deeper than she had initially anticipated. "I did have my suspicions that you were together but I was advised not to get involved."

Robbie grinned at the admission. "The boss is a good man like that," he said, getting out of the chair to leave.

Karen did the same, coming around to the front of the desk, "Good luck Robbie," she said shaking his hand.

"Thanks." Robbie said releasing his hand from her polite gesture. "I should go, Lucas and Jackie are waiting downstairs for me, I told her I'd come in and see you on our day off."

Karen and Robbie exited her office and made their way down to where Jackie and Lucas were waiting for him.

"Look who's coming," Jackie said pointing to the stairs.

Karen reached the bottom of the staircase, crouching down to Lucas giving him a cuddle.

Releasing him from the hug, Karen sat on the bottom step letting Lucas sit in her lap, Jackie and Robbie sat on the same step. "I've written a letter of support and sent it to the reporter for his children's panel hearing; I'm backing you for custody. Matt has also written a letter of support."

"We've seen how you are with him and he is a lot happier and healthier than he was when we first met him," Matt said, joining the group, opting to lean against the chunky curve of the banister. "You two are actually good parents, better than you'll ever give yourselves credit for."

Robbie tried and failed to gauge Jackie's reaction, as she had remained silent for the entirety of the conversation, digesting the bosses' comments about the upcoming meeting she'd been dreading for the last few days to decide the child's future and living arrangements.

"Thanks Karen, Matt, having your backing means a lot to us and to Lucas," Robbie said acknowledging the gesture of the more senior officers. He got up, holding his hand out to help Jackie up, taking Lucas from Karen before he fell asleep on her lap.

Watching the family exit the police station, Karen noted, "Jackie was quiet."

Matt glanced at her. "Aye she was. Too quiet."

"Do you think it has anything to do with Lucas's hearing tomorrow?" Karen grumbled as she finally got up from the step she'd been sitting on.

"It will have, she's been to these hearings before but only in her professional capacity. She's never gone to one as a legal guardian though."

"I can't believe the twenty two days are already up."

Matt tried not to chuckle at Karen's statement. "I don't do gut feeling very often but mine is telling me that they will get custody. Robbie's the only family he's got left that isn't in prison or dead."

Karen couldn't help but smile at Matt's optimism. "I hope you're right."


	14. Epilogue (2012)

Robbie knew without looking at the clock on the bedside table that it was just before 6am. He silently mused over the irony of now being able to wake up before the alarm but struggled to move on any given morning before he took early retirement. He glanced over at Jackie, who was still fast asleep beside him and wanted to give her a gentle nudge to wake her up so that he wouldn't be alone with his thoughts. He tucked his hands behind his head, decided to let her sleep, remembering the bollocking he once received for waking her earlier than she liked.

"Go back to sleep honey," Jackie sleepily mumbled.

"I can't."

"Why not?" she asked, turning over to look at him. "Talk to me, we've got a few minutes before Lucas comes in.

Robbie sighed. "I was just thinking that in the last two years a lot of things have changed for me. For both of us."

"The biggest change for you is that you've managed to get your addictions under control, even though it's been difficult at times, and for us it's finally being together and of course having custody of Lucas."

"Beating my addictions has been the scariest and hardest thing because I nearly lost everything, including you, to the gambling. I couldn't lose you, Jack, not ever." Robbie traced his fingers along her side. "Besides, it was inevitable that we'd be together darling."

Jackie quickly kissed the side of his mouth. "Lucas is up," she noted, as the soft footsteps on the landing got closer to their room. Robbie leaned over the edge of the bed, picking up his dirty work shirt, handing it to her; she managed to fasten a couple more buttons to protect her modesty as Lucas opened the door. "Are you awake?" he asked, rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"No matey we're not," Robbie joked.

Lucas climbed on to the bed, nestling in between the grown ups. He poked his tongue out at his uncle. "People don't talk when they're sleeping."

Jackie was about to correct the child when she noticed the smirk on her partners face. "I've got the day off work, what would you two like to do?"

Lucas shook his head. "Don't know."

Robbie winked at her, whispering his suggestion in her ear.

"Well you have a think about it," Robbie said, getting out of bed. "What do you want for your breakfast today?"

"Syrupy porridge but only if Auntie Jackie makes it because you burned it before."

Jackie kissed the child on the cheek. "Go downstairs and pick out the sachet, you can watch your cartoons if you want to. I'll be down in a few minutes sweetie."

Waiting a moment for Lucas to start making his way down the two flights of stairs, "How'd you managed to burn porridge?" Jackie burst out laughing at the expression of feigned shock on Robbie's face. "I wasn't paying attention to microwave and the porridge exploded all over the inside. The microwave never worked again after that."

Still laughing at his mishap as she pulled her pyjama bottoms up, she said, "I'll make you some if you want."

Robbie placed a chaste kiss on her lips. "I'm going for a run but I'll have some when I get back."

They made their way downstairs, each going their separate ways to begin the regular morning routine that they'd settled into during the last two years.


End file.
